How to Redefine Your Purpose Through Goal Setting

A few months ago, Metro EDGE asked Judah Kent, an accomplished productivity workshop teacher, to talk with our young professionals about the art of identifying the thing that drives and motivates you (also known as your purpose), and how you can use that 'thing' to enhance the way you operate in all aspects of your life. In doing so, we can achieve a deeper sense of fulfillment and happiness in our lives by goal setting.

To keep the momentum going, we've broken down our five key takeaways from Judah's talk, and outlined how you as a YP can begin this journey now.

Be Open to Change

As you start taking these steps on your personal journey, be willing to adapt. Your pathway is probably not a straight line, nor is it unencumbered by obstacles and roadblocks. Understand that your purpose may change over time, and if it does, be okay with revising your goals as necessary. In addition to being open to change, be open to your journey being a learning process.

During his talk, Judah mentioned that the process of redefining your purpose is also the process by which you start living your life according to that purpose, rather than by default.

Action Item: Turn off 'autopilot' and begin to walk intentionally toward your goals, no matter the side swaps and stalls along the way.

Think Long Term

We know: You probably get tasked with setting short and long term goals in your 9-5, so the last thing you want to do when you get home is map these out for yourself. But hear us out. Set aside a few days (no less than one, but no more than three) each year to identify a handful (no less than five, but no more than seven) of goals that you want to achieve within one year that would make you feel successful.

These goals could be things like, "Get promoted," or "Start a side hustle". Make sure that these goals reflect the key areas of your life. There is no limit to the categories, or areas of your life, that you can create goals for. To help, here are what we refer to as the 'Core Four':

Your Job - How will you grow professionally?

Your Business - How will you grow your team or your revenue?

Your Self - How will you fulfill your personal desires?

Your Finances - What improvements can you make to grow financially?

Set Monthly Goals

Now that you've mapped out your long term quest to success, it's time to shorten the journey. Set aside a few hours each month (no less than one hour, no more than three) to determine and refine your monthly goals that contribute to your larger, annual goals. And instead of 'setting and forgetting', focus on your methods of achieving your goals. How will you position yourself in pursuit of your annual goals? It helps to take your large, overarching ambitions, and break them out into bite-sized pieces. For example, if your goal is to be promoted in one year, your monthly goals could checking in with your manager to assess your progress and carve out a path to promotion.

And remember, put first things first. Any goals that hinge on other goals have the highest priority. To accomplish all that you set out to do, have between five and seven monthly goals in your back pocket at all times. Additionally, for maximum efficiency, do not plan any more than on month out.

Get Granular

Don't worry, we're only going to emphasize goals one more time. Take those monthly goals you've chunked out of your annual goals, and chop them in half one more time to create weekly goals. These mini goals should be created and assessed by sitting down for roughly half an hour every week to jot down concrete action items. These are the mechanisms by which you'll contribute to your larger goals. These weekly goals are more tangible than your bigger ambitions because they are versions of what you already do.

For instance, if your annual goal is to get promoted, and your monthly goal is to check in with your manager, then your weekly goal should be to compile your accomplishments each week for your manager to review in your monthly meeting.

Don't treat your weekly goals like a to-do list. Instead, think of it as a 'have-to-do' list. These weekly goals should be measurable and easy for you to accomplish in one-week's time.

Keep Learning

If you stop learning, you stop growing. Judah provided some excellent reading materials for building out your goals and rounding out the means by which you'll redefine your purpose. Here are some of his favorite reads:

How have you carved out your goals and redefined your purpose? If you're in the midst of setting your intentions for the year, we highly suggest getting involved with an organization that can propel you to the #NextLevel in your personal and professional endeavors. Find out more about how Metro EDGE can help you accomplish your goals!

About the Author

Taylor Toledo is an Account Manager with 3fold Communications, specializing in higher education and healthcare marketing. She is also the 2018 Metro EDGE Communications Chair, a proud dog mom, and a not-quite-as-proud Netflix addict.